Loading map...

1963 Map of Zachary

Name: 1963 Topographic Map of Zachary
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

The Mississippi River creates a dramatic western boundary for this mid-century survey, forming the sharp curves of Mulatto Bend and Springfield Bend. Near the riverfront, industrial development is evident in the Baton Rouge Harbor and the Alsen Oil Field, while the southern portion of the map is anchored by the campus of Southern University and the expanding northern reaches of Baton Rouge.

Further inland, the landscape transitions into a network of creek-fed lands around Zachary and Baker, where the Illinois Central railroad follows the high ground. The map details a dense social fabric of the era, documented through numerous country schools and churches such as Chaneyville Sch, the State Industrial School Water Tank for Boys, and the Strangers Home Ch. These labels provide a clear view of local community centers and rural settlements before the significant suburban sprawl of later decades.